Solids breaking and handling apparatus



F. B. ALLEN SOLIDS BREAKING AND HANDLING APPARATUS Filed April 15 INVENTOR mew/w: a 44mm TORF -ZY Patented Aug. 12 1930 TES P'ATEN-T OFFICE FRANK B. ALLEN, 0F LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENN- SYLVANIA SOLIDS BREAKING AND HANDLING APPARATUS Application filed April 15,

This invention relates to the art of handling furnace residues and more particularly to improved apparatus for breaking up furnace residues and removing them to a place of disposal.

In the disposition of furnace residues it has been known to provide clinker grinders or rolls for breaking up the residues or ash from stokers and dropping the residues into a hopper disposed therebeneath. Such grinders are exposed to the high temperatures of the ash and partly burned fuel and rapidly deteriorate unless some provision is made to keep them cool. Means previously contemplated for efl'ectin cooling of the grinders have involved the p aying of streams of liquid against the exterior surfaces thereof, the liquid passing into the hopper where it converted the ash into a flowing condition and caused difiiculty in the handling of the ash from the hopper in a sluiceway since when the hopper discharge opening was opened the flowable ash passed into the sluiceway in sufficient volume to clog the sluiceway, partly or wholly.

By the present invention the cooling of the grinders has been carried out without the previous difficulties in handling the ash from the hoppers.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 11 of Figr 2 of a furnace residue disposal system; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to the drawings, in its preferred embodiment the device comprises a furnace 1 which forms substantially fluid-tight connection with a receptacle or hopper 2. The hopper 2 may be disposed upon the floor 3 of a boiler house with the bottom of the hopper 2 constituted by the wall 4 which is slightly inclined to the horizontal and is adapted to receive the furnace residues and support the same in a pile thereon. The hopper 2 is provided with a discharge opening in a side wall thereof at the lower end of the bottom wall 4 which opening is normally closed by a door 5, which can be held in closed position by the counterweight 6. A conduit 1929. Serial No. 355,165.

or sluiceway 7 which in the preferred embodiment is disposed in the floor 3 of the boiler house is provided with an inlet opening fitted with a sizing screen or grid 8 disposed in position to recelve the residues discharged from the hopper 2. A casing 9 is suitably disposed to provide a compartment having fluid communication with the hopper discharge opening and the sluiceway inlet opening. The casing 9 forms substantially fluid-tight engagement with the walls of the hopper and with the conduit to prevent access of air into the, hopper or escape of gases therefrom into the surrounding atmosphere. Upon opening the door 5 the residues can be washed from the hopper into the sluiceway by means of liquid such as water which is directed by nozzle 10 against the face of the residues on wall 4.

The door 5 when closed seals the'hopper against entry of air into the bottom of the hopper. When door 5 is open, air can enter the hopper only by way of sluiceway 7.

Furnace residues discharged from the furnace bottom into the hopper 2 are subjected to the grinding action of the opposed breaker rolls 11 which rolls are mounted for rotation in opposite directions and the solid materials as they are broken are delivered between the rolls into hopper 2. Cooling of these rolls can be efi'ected by means of water or other liquid which is injected through the conduits 12 against the outer surfaces of the rolls and which strikes the rolls at a portion intermediate the top and bottom thereof. By this construction the liquid after striking the rolls is deflected downwardly at the outer sides of the rolls. Troughs 13 are provided adjacent the outer sides of the rolls to collect and direct the flow of liquid dropping from. the rolls. The liquid is directed from the trou hs 13 into funnel shaped conduits 15 whic converge at their base to form fluid communication with the discharge conduits 16. A shouldered portion 17 carried by the conduit 15 prevents flow of liquid over the edge of the conduit from the trough 13. The conduit 16 passes downwardly laterally of the chamber of hopper 2 and preferably in its side walls and discharges the liquid into the sluiceway 7. Flap valves 18 or the llke are provided at the ends of the conduitslfi to close the discharge ends of the conduits and prevent access of air from the cluiceway 7 through the conduit 16 into the furnace and at the same time prevent escape of furnace gases from the furnace bottom through the conduits 16 and into sluiceway 7. End flap valve 18 is so adjusted that it will remain in closed position and retain a column of li uid in the conduit.

n utilizing the device the furnace residues are permitted to drop upon' the rolls 11 and accumulate thereon. At intervals, or continuously the rolls llare driven in rotation to break up the residues therebetween and discharge the solid material between the rolls upon the inclined floor of the hopper 2 where the broken or ground residues accumulate in a pile. The residues accumulating upon the floor of the hopper 2 are periodically washed therefrom by means of a stream of water from the nozzles 10. To effect this operation the door 5 is opened and water is injected through the nozzle 10 against the face of the material next adjacent the lower edge of the floor 4 so that the material is washed through the discharge opening of the hopper into the sluiceway 7 The mixture ofsolid material and water is flushed through the sluiceway to a place of disposal by liquid discharged through nozzles 19. The rolls 11 are cooled by projecting a stream of water or the like through the conduit 12 against the sides of the rolls. After striking the rolls the water is guided through the conduit 16 while maintained separate from the body of residues in hopper 2 and is directed into sluiceway 7.

While the invention has been described as applied to the removal of furnace residues it will be understood that the principle of the invention can be applied to any construction in which rolls are to be washed and the washing liquid is removed without commingling with the ground solids.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that modifications can be made therein within the spirit and scope of the invention and such modifications are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

I claim-- 1. A solids disposal system comprising a receptacle having an inlet and a discharge opening, means associated with the inlet opening of the receptacle to break up the solid material entering the same, and means for conducting liquid against the exterior surface of the breaker means and for conducting the liquid from the breaker means to a place of disposal separately from the broken solid material.

2. A solids disposal system comprising a receptacle having an inlet and a discharge opening, means associated with the inlet of the receptacle to break up solid material entering the same, means for conducting) liquid against the exterior surface of the reaker means, and liquid handling means for preventing the liquid from mixing with the broken solids in the receptacle.

3. A solids disposal system comprising a receptacle having an inlet and a discharge opening, rolls associated with the inlet opening adapted to break up solid material entering the receptacle, means for conducting liquid against the exterior surface of the rolls and means for collecting the liquid from the rolls before it reaches the solids accumulated in the receptacle.

4. A solids disposal systemcomprising a solids retaining receptacle having an inlet and a discharge opening, means associated with the inlet of the receptacle to break up solid material entering the same, means for conducting liquid against the exterior of the breaker means, a conduit adapted periodically to receive the broken material from the discharge opening of the receptacle, and conduit means for bypassing the liquid from the breaker means around the accumulated solids in the receptacle into the conduit.

5. A solids disposal system comprising a receptacle having an inlet and a discharge opening, means associated with the inlet opening to break up solid material entering the receptacle. 7 means for conducting liquid against the exterior surface of the breaker means, a closure for a conduit adapted to receive the broken material from the discharge opening, and means for conducting the liquid from the breaker means directly into the conduit.

6. A solids disposal system for a furnace comprising a hopper communicating with the furnace combustion chamber in substantially fluid-tight relation and provided With a discharge opening, means for breaking up solid materials discharged from the combustion chamber into the hopper, a conduit communicating with the discharge opening of the hopper, means for conducting cooling liquid against the exterior surface of the breaking means, means in the hopper for conducting the liquid away from the breaking means, and means for normally maintaining the liquid conducting means sealed against the passage of gases therethrough.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature this 21st day of March, 1929.

FRANK B. ALLEN.

the discharge opening, 

